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Research output: Contribution to conference - Without ISBN/ISSN › Poster
Research output: Contribution to conference - Without ISBN/ISSN › Poster
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TY - CONF
T1 - An investigation into space weather impacts on UK power station transformers
AU - Lewis, Zoe
AU - Wild, Jim
AU - Allcock, Matthew
PY - 2021/7/19
Y1 - 2021/7/19
N2 - It is well documented that space weather may impact electricity infrastructure, and several widespread blackouts have been observed in the past few decades and directly linked to the largest geomagnetic storms (e.g. the Hydro Quebec incident in 1989). However, less is known about the impact of lower-level GICs on the health of transformers in the long term. In this study, the long term impact of geomagnetic activity on 13 power station transformers in the UK was investigated. Dissolved gas measurements from 2010-2015 were used to look for evidence of a link between degradation of the transformer insulation and heightened levels of SYM-H and dB/dt as measured at Eskdalemuir magnetometer station. Firstly, case studies were examined of the most significant storms in this time period using dissolved gas analysis (DGA) methods, specifically the Low Energy Degradation Triangle (LEDT). The case studies were then augmented with a statistical survey, including Superposed Epoch Analysis (SEA) of multiple storm events. No evidence of a strong space weather impact can be found during this time period, likely owing to the relatively quiet nature of the Sun during this epoch and the modernity of the transformers studied.
AB - It is well documented that space weather may impact electricity infrastructure, and several widespread blackouts have been observed in the past few decades and directly linked to the largest geomagnetic storms (e.g. the Hydro Quebec incident in 1989). However, less is known about the impact of lower-level GICs on the health of transformers in the long term. In this study, the long term impact of geomagnetic activity on 13 power station transformers in the UK was investigated. Dissolved gas measurements from 2010-2015 were used to look for evidence of a link between degradation of the transformer insulation and heightened levels of SYM-H and dB/dt as measured at Eskdalemuir magnetometer station. Firstly, case studies were examined of the most significant storms in this time period using dissolved gas analysis (DGA) methods, specifically the Low Energy Degradation Triangle (LEDT). The case studies were then augmented with a statistical survey, including Superposed Epoch Analysis (SEA) of multiple storm events. No evidence of a strong space weather impact can be found during this time period, likely owing to the relatively quiet nature of the Sun during this epoch and the modernity of the transformers studied.
KW - space weather
KW - electricity
KW - Infrastructure
KW - power
KW - GICs
M3 - Poster
T2 - National Astronomy Meeting 2021
Y2 - 19 July 2021 through 23 July 2021
ER -